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Advance Sight for All

Why Your Gift Matters

Vision disorders continue to take the sight of millions of infants, children, and adults, limiting their options and diminishing their independence. Vision loss is associated with depression and accelerated mortality, and the social costs are enormous. As the world’s population grows and ages, the need for innovative therapies escalates.

  • Worldwide, over 285 million people are visually impaired.
  • Every minute a child goes blind.
  • Diabetes is now the leading cause of blindness in persons ages 20-74.
  • The magnitude of age-related sight loss is becoming epidemic as seniors live longer in many countries. The main causes are glaucoma, age-related macular degeneration, and  untreated cataracts in developing nations.

Macular Degeneration

By 2020, 196 million people will likely have age-related macular degeneration (AMD), and with the number projected to grow to 288 million by 2040.

Glaucoma

By 2020, there will be approximately 80 million people with glaucoma, an increase of about 20 million since 2010.

Glaucoma is the leading cause of blindness among African Americans, and their sight loss from the disease commonly begins at earlier ages than for other groups.

That Man May See supports the vision of UCSF Ophthalmology: to save and restore sight for present and future generations.